HOW DID THEY KNOW???

Actual letter received in this household:


Bonus: strategic placement of golf tee and school saver card to disguise identifying information about our location. We're sooooo crafty.

Shh...

It's been happening for at least a few months now, but I still can't believe it. MY KIDS PUT THEMSELVES TO BED.

*sniff*



The other one wasn't yet asleep, but happily reading into the wee hours of the night.

*sniff*

(By the way, have I mentioned how much I LOVE my new camera? These were taken in absolute darkness with the aid of my even newer Speedlite flash. And, tonight I learned how to "bounce flash". )

Short shorts in a cold land

Heard while watching What Not To Wear on TLC.
Abby: "Momma, she can't wear those short shorts in this cold land!"

Clinton and Stacy agreed.

Wondering...

if Abby doesn't talk all day at school, because she babbles nonstop for the entire 30 minute ride home!!!

Funny things that Abby does when nobody's watching

Crawl into a pillowcase, with the pillow...

and dress like this.
I'm totally sorry I called you Stinkopotamus today.

Does it make me a bad mother if...

I make up names for my youngest with the word "stink" in them such as: stinkopotamus, Stinkerella, Stinkerbell, Stinkerbottom?

Just wondering.

We gave up...

on being angry at all the snow and ice. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

A Year of Memories

2009 - what a year!

This year was another huge year of growing, living, laughing, and loving... with some tantrums and such thrown in too.

This year, Hannah turned nine years old and started the fourth grade. She read the Twilight series and managed to get a handle on her talking problem at school. She earned "advanced" honors in math and reading every single term. She learned to do a back handspring into a back tuck (that's a standing back flip, for you non-gymnastics folks), a "flyaway" dismount on the bars (basically also a back flip), mastered her cartwheel on beam, and went straight into learning a back walkover on beam. She grew another foot (or so it seems), finally went up a pant size (thank God), and grew out of children's shoe sizes. She is fiercely independent, bossy with her sisters, but is also generally a sweet, carefree, and happy girl. She is that much closer to being a little lady rather than a little girl, and I LOVE THIS FACE.Ryley started Kindergarten and turned six years old. She learned to ride a bike, read (mostly), and lost four teeth. She also grew about a foot (literally), outgrew two different pant sizes, and FOUR shoe sizes. She pretty much mastered swimming this year, and is no longer afraid to put her head under water. She started gymnastics, and is already almost ready to compete. She is a truly sweet and considerate little girl and I am excited to see how much she'll learn and grow this year! The resemblance of this face to mine is uncanny and I love it to pieces:

My sweet and sassy little Abigail turned four in 2009 and entered her final year of daycare/preschool. She also learned to ride a bike this year. She can sing all the lyrics to pretty much any Taylor Swift song and became extremely proficient at using the computer. By far my smallest child, she still grew a shoe and pant size (again, FINALLY) just in time to avoid the dreaded high-water look. She spent a great deal of this year cuddling and petting on her mommy and pestering the heck out of her sisters. She is wickedly smart (which often landed her in trouble for some scheme or another) and is well on her way to reading, too. She reminds me the most of ME (behavior-wise) and makes it nearly impossible to be angry with her for very long with this face:My husband Mike turned 32 this year, and landed a brand new job (that skipped a level!). He is a hard-working person by nature, and I was very proud to finally see that pay off for him. While our marriage isn't picture perfect by any means, I laugh with him as often or more than I am angry with him, and I couldn't imagine myself with anyone else. He is my best friend and I love him to pieces. He gives me complete autonomy over our budget, ignores my cranky moods, and I miss him dearly when he's away for very long.

I hit the big 3-0 this year. I can't say it was very painful, and in fact I thought of it as a non-event. I came to some very impactful realizations about my job this year - that maybe this isn't the best job for me? I've already talked to my boss (whom I love and am reluctant to leave) and I rest easier knowing that 2010 will likely hold something different, work-wise. In the meantime, I renewed my love for photography (thanks to an awesome anniversary gift from Mike) and have dreams of that becoming more than just a hobby someday.


This year has been another year where I continue to be blessed with my parents... My mommy, who constantly amazes me with how much she puts into being with my girls. Although I see her almost every day, I don't spend much time one-on-one with her and I have plans to change that this coming year. In an attempt to disrupt their lives as little as possible, I think I actually ended up missing out on some quality mommy time. She isn't afraid of anything, knows what she wants out of life, and it would be an honor to grow up to be just like her someday.
My daddy, whose patience is more than I could ever hope to have... his respect and compassion for others is unbelievable. There isn't a single time I'm around him that I'm not reminded of how much I could improve in those areas, and he isn't even trying! I literally have to restrain him from bending over backwards for any of our every wants and needs... and he isn't too happy when I do!
These two people have taught me how to love, forgive, what marriage is, how parenting should be, self-confidence, tolerance, and most importantly: what unconditional love looks like:
What an impressive year. I can't wait to see what 2010 looks like!